Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens (DZG) are gearing up for the Easter launch of Monkey Tails, a tropical house experience offering visitors a chance to get close to a range of rare primates.

The £50,000 programme will transform the site's Geochrom centre into an indoor walkthrough complete with saki (CORR) monkeys, white fronted marmosets, goeldi's (CORR) monkeys, squirrel monkeys and highly endangered red ruffed lemurs.

Alongside the family groups of 30 primates there will be otters, dwarf mongoose and monitor lizards plus a conservation collection of birds and insects.

The programme has been designed and drawn up in-house by keeping staff and work started at the beginning of February, carried out by on-site maintenance crew.

Last month's announcement of a £5 million boost secured a bright future for DZG as the award winning tourist attraction enters its 70th anniversary year, and came as zoo chiefs were planning a busy programme to mark seven decades at the Castle Hill site.

Dudley Zoological Gardens is open daily from 10am to 4pm. For further details visit dudleyzoo.org.uk or contact 01384 215313.